From First To Last Want Energy In Their Albums, Not Their Drinks

From First To Last's spring and summer will be full-on. Their self-titled third album drops on April 29 and they'll promote the crap out of it by headlining the Vans Warped Tour.

It's been more than a year since singer Sonny Moore left the band to pursue a solo career, and drummer Derek Bloom says his departure gave everyone else a chance to regroup.

"After Sonny left, we actually went into survival mode in Georgia. We actually recorded all of the music for a record. Interscope loved the album and wanted to put us into a studio to make it a bit better sonically."

Moore's exit left the vocal duties on the shoulders of guitarist and former background singer Matt Good (no relation to the Canadian icon of the same name). At that point, the band hooked up with hard rock producer Josh Abraham (Velvet Revolver, Limp Bizkit) and started fleshing out ideas.

"We met Josh and he seemed like a really cool guy," says Bloom. "It's funny, because it was a really stress-free environment, which we hadn't really experienced before.

"He's very hands-off. He let us go off on tangents, but still popped ideas in once in a while. It made for a very cool vibe."

Aside from the obvious absence of former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, Bloom believes the new record diverts from 2006's Heroine through its eclecticism and its dramatic shifts in tone.

"This record is all over the board. There are slow and medium tempo songs to go with the fast ones. It's not as dark as Heroine and there are songs that are poppier, more energetic and more optimistic. The band isn't about doom and gloom, and I think this record reflects that."

The Orlando, Fla. quartet (rounded out by guitarist/vocalist Travis Richter and bassist Matt Manning) have come a long way since they made their way across North America in a rusty van during their first Warped Tour three years ago. They've also learned how to deal with sweltering heat.

"It's great for bands, and it's about going out there and having a good time," says Bloom. "At the same time, it can be brutal.

"You have to bring your own water because the filling stations are usually empty by about 11 a.m. After that, there's nothing else to drink but those free Monster energy drinks."

If you plan on braving the tour's sweaty mosh pits, expect to hear a rejuvenated sound from a band who are excited by their new chemistry.

"The coolest thing about this new record is that all of these songs were written for Matt to sing," says Bloom. "Nobody knows what this lineup sounds like and, when people hear us, they'll get an idea of who this band really is."

Here are the Canadian Warped Tour dates:

July 19 Toronto, ON @ Downsview Park
July 20 Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau
Aug. 5 Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
Aug. 6 Calgary, AB @ Race City Speedway

Here are the songs on From First To Last:

"Two As One"
"The Other Side"
"Worlds Away"
"We All Turn Back To Dust"
"Medicinal Reality"
"A Perfect Mess"
"Tick Tick Tomorrow"
"Deliverance!"
"I Once Was Lost But Now Am Profound"
"Be-Headed (Marathon Man)"
"In Memorium In Advance"